Puzzle.



PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

R. D. MARTIN.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1907.

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RALPH D. MARTIN, OF HABANA, CUBA.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed May 21. 1907. fierial No. 374.889-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH D. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Habana, Cuba, have invented a new and Improved Puzzle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to puzzles, and its object is to provide a new and improved puzzle, arranged to afford considerable amusement and to require skill on the part of the player in successfully solving the puzzle.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, which will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a plan view of the improvement; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the blocks.

On a board A of card-board, wood, sheet metal or other suitable material are arranged fields B in the form of contiguous squares, arranged to form a square, extra fields B and B being arranged on opposite sides of the square formed by the main fields B, the number of extra fields B exceeding the num ber of extra fields B the extra fields B and B starting from diametrically opposite corners of the square, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1. In the middle of the square formed by the fields B are arranged a plurality of stations C, each covering two of the fields'B, the stations being preferably numbered, consecutively, 1, 2, 3, and 4, one end of a station abutting against the side of the next following station, the several stations meeting at a common center, as shown in Fig. 1.

Now in playing the game use is made of a playing block I) of rectangular shape, and having a thickness corresponding to one side of a field B, the width of the playing block D being twice its thickness, and the length of the playing block corresponding to four times the thickness. The playing block D is adapted to be tumbled by the players over the fields B, B, B in such a manner that a side, end or face occupies or covers corresponding fields B, each tumble of a block corresponding to a move, the object being to move the block D, placed at one of the sta tions C, with the least number of moves onto another station. Thus by the arrangement described the block may be moved from station 1 to station 2, or from station 2 to station 3, or from station 3 to station 4, or from station 4 to station 1, or from station 1 to station 3, or from station 2 to station 4.

In starting, the block 1) is placed on end on one of the stations C, and from this position it is required to tumble the block over the field of squares B, B, B to one of the remaining stations, each move or turn of the block being such as to occupy exactly the adjoining squares, but not to overlap or partly extend onto other squares.

Although the player is allowed to tumble the block I) over the fields B, B and B in the manner described, it is evident that the player solving the puzzle, that is, going from one station to the other in the least number of moves, will be the successful one.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A puzzle comprising a board having fields of uniform size, starting and stopping stations, and a playing block adapted to be tumbled over the said fields from one station to the other, one dimension of the block corresponding to a side of a field and the remaining dimensions to multiples of the said side of a field.

2. A puzzle comprising a board provided on its face with contiguous fields of uniform size and having stations covering a plurality of fields and surrounded by the fields, and a block to be tumbled over the said fields, one of the dimensions of the block corresponding to the side of a field and the remaining dimensions corresponding to a multiple of the side of a field.

3. A puzzle comprising a board provided on its face with contiguous fields of uniform size, and a playing block to be tumbled over the said fields and having a thickness corresponding to a side of a field, and having its width and length corresponding to a multiple of the thickness of the block.

4. A puzzle comprising a board provided on its face with contiguous fields of uniform size, and a playing block to be tumbled over the said fields and having a thickness corresponding to a side of a field, the Width of the block being double the size of the thickness of the block, and the length of the block corresponding to a multiple larger than two of the thickness of the block.

5. A puzzle comprising a board provided on its face with contiguous square playing fields of uniform size, and having stations at or near the center of the board, and each of the size of two of the said square playing fields, the end of a station abutting against the side of an adjacent station, and a rectangular playing block having a thickness corresponding to the side of a playing field, the width of the playing block being double the thickness of the block, and the length of the block being four times the thickness of the block.

6. A puzzle comprising a board provided on its face with contiguous square playing.

fields of uniform size, the said field squares forming a square, and a plurality of extra square playing fields at opposite sides of the said square, and having stations at or near the center of the board, and each of the size of two of the said square playing fields, the end of a station abutting against a side of an adjacent station, the several stations meeting at a common center, and a rectangular playing block having a thickness corresponding to the side of a playing field, the width of the playing block being double the thickness of the block, and the length of the block being four times the thickness of the block.

7. A puzzle comprising a board provided on its face with contiguous square playing fields of uniform size, the said field squares forming a square and a number of extra square playing fields at opposite sides of the said square, the number of the extra square fields on one side of the square being in excess of the number of extra square fields on the opposite side of the square, the extra square fields starting at diametrically opposite corners of the square, and having stations at or near the center of the board and each of the size of two of the said square playing fields, the end of a station abutting against the side of an adjacent station, the several stations meeting at a common center, and a rectangular playing block having a thickness corresponding to the side of a playing field, the width of the playing block being double the thickness of the vblock, and the length of the block being four times the thickness of the block.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

RALPH D. MARTIN.

WVitnesses THOMAS M. HEEVE, BERNHARD BENJAMIN. 

